Tony Gwynn’s 14-Hour Cancer Surgery A Success

Updated at 2:32 pm, February 15th, 2012

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images(SAN DIEGO) — Former San Diego Padres outfielder Tony Gwynn’s cancer surgery was deemed a success after five doctors spent 14 hours removing a malignant tumor from inside the Hall of Famer’s right cheek.

His wife, Alicia Gwynn, said the doctors told her they had entirely removed the cancerous growth from his patroid gland. Gywnn has previously stated he had used smokeless tobacco in his right cheek for his entire 20-year career and for another decade after he retired in 2001.

“All is well — it doesn’t seem like last time,” Alicia Gwynn said from the Thornton Hospital at the University of California San Diego. “It turned out great. He looks good, he looks normal. His eyelids are a little swollen, but they got all the cancer. They say they got it all. His face looks good. They did an amazing job.”

Gwynn came out of surgery at around 1 a.m. PT on Wednesday. As early at 8:30 a.m. local time Gwynn was talking, drinking water, and was in good spirits.